It's been a day of connections and reminders.
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We enjoyed singing about the
water of life. I think of these two
as our "theme songs," so to speak. |
At Morning Prayer, we read the story of the Samaritan woman at the well talking with Jesus. When I was at St. Luke's-San Lucas, Chelsea, I spent a lot of time with the women's group. Their name is The Women at the Well-Las Damas en la Fuente. I've also been remembering recently the retreat I did with them last fall with the theme of the water of life. This morning, then, I smiled as I listened, hearing not only the story but also so much from that wonderful group. Damas, I miss you all! Sending you my love and prayers. May the year to come be blessed.
After breakfast, we headed off to the cathedral for the Eucharist. I had heard that there would be a group from Massachusetts there, but you know it's a big state with a lot of Episcopalians (at least compared to Indiana, where I grew up). So who should I see as I got out of the car but a friend from seminary as well as another priest I know, along with some of their parishioners. What a wonderful surprise it was to see them.
After the service, in which they also participated, the cathedral had its annual meeting. They gamely hung in there, though few of them had the language skills to follow it. I got the gist of it, but would have loved to follow more of the details. We didn't stay for the whole thing, though - left after a break, at which we were given "pate" - flaky pastry meat turnover things - and sweetened Haitian coffee. (Let me just make a quick tangent to tell you that Haitian coffee is wonderful. I even enjoy it without milk, though the condensed milk I get to put in it at breakfast makes it that much better. Close tangent.)
We had a chance to show them the spot where the convent once was, and then we all headed over to the Foyer Notre Dame, our home for elderly women with no one to care for them. It was good to show them around and tell a little bit about our work there.
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from a family web-based album
I'm loving these photos!
(Thanks for sharing this, P!) |
Then I got home and, lo and behold, we had electricity right in the middle of the day, and it's been on since! Yesterday there was none, so I especially appreciate it. What that meant, then, was more connections - hearing about family travels via email and online photo albums, catching up on some of my friends' Facebook posts, etc. Three friends were ordained this weekend, so there was much prayer and rejoicing, and I was so happy to see photos with their stoles and big smiles. Finally, it meant that I could call my family via the miracle of telephone-internet connections so as to pass along birthday wishes and catch up quickly on the news.
It's been a good day. I am very much here in Haiti and glad to be - and I'm also happy to have had these connections today. Definitely a "both/and" that I can appreciate.
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